Apparatus for treating gases by electricity.



I. MOSOIGKI. APPARATUS FOR TREATING GASES BY ELECTRICITY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28, 1906.

I 1% 15 II 2 Patented .3,1909.

I. MOSGIGKI.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING GASES BY ELECTRICITY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28, 1906.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

'To all whom it may concern.

current. Apparatus for obtaining n1tr1c OXldS from IGNAOY MOS GI OKI, 'OF FRIBOURG-GAMBAOH,SWITZERLAND.

APPARATUS-FOR TREATING GASES BY ELECTRICITY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

Applieationfiled August 28, 1906. Serial No. 332,325.

Be it'known that I, 'IeNAoi' MOSOICKI, electroohemist, citizen of Russia, residing at Fribourg-Gambach, Switzerland, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating Gases by Electricity; and I do hereby declare the follo Wing to be a full, clear, and exact-description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

'lhisinventionrelates to the art of treating gases by, electricity, and it. has particular reference to apparatus'for obtaining gases such as nitric oxids from mixtures of gas by subjecting them to the action of the electric mixtures of gas by means of the electricflame are are already known but most of these'have the disadvantage that the product obtained'is'small relatively to the energy consumed, and only small percentages of nitric oxide are contained in the product which leaves the apparatus. Repeatedly passing the mixture of gas already containlng nitrous oxide through the electric flame is not advantageous on account of the Wasteful utilization of the energy and the diminution of the product thereby resulting. In the' apparatus that forms the subject of the present application, these disadvantages are obviated 111 a simple and convenient manner. With this apparatus a product is obtainable which far surpasses those obtained hitherto alike as regards high percentage concentra tion of the nitrous OX1(lS as in the quantity of nitrous oxide relatively to the consumption of energy. y

.The accompanying drawing illustrates two -forms of the inventlgn, Figure 1 being a Fig. 2 a transverse of the first of these, section of the same through the electrodes and .Figs. 3 and 4 similar views of the second form of the invention.

Between the two hollowed pole pieces 1 longitudinal section and 2 of an electromagnet 3, the lower one of which carries a receptacle for cooling liquid two electrodes 5 and figare arranged concentrically to one anotherfleavmg an annular space between'themie The e trode- 6 forms part of a hollow bog-ljyw whicli inserted inthe support for thee'leetxede fiend and the adjoining is insulated from the support by a casing 7 made of non-conducting material. The space inside 'the electrode 5 is closed at the bottom by a plate 9 formed with a discharge pipe 8. 10 and 11 are pipes for thelighting gas, for example, oxygen, that run to the ducts 12 and 13in the two electrodes and act likewise as current conductors.

The supply pipe 14 for mixture of gases opens into the annular distributer 15, which communicates with the space between the two electrodes by a large number of openings formed in itsi-bottom. Anigniting tube 16 arranged on the support for the electrode 5 and closable 'by means of acover serves, when the apparatus is started, to ignite the stream of gas passing out of the ducts 12 and 13, so as to maintama constantly burning gas-igniting flame. In the upper part of thereceptacle 4. is suspended an open-bottom vessel 17 constituting a support for a pipe-coil 18 through which cooling water is circulated. The receptacle 4 is filled nearly to the to with acooling liquid, oil for example, whic 1 enters the interior of the pole-pieces 1 and 2 through openings 1 a and 2 a formed in the sides thereof and fills them.

sufliciently cooled.

- In the form of the apparatus or furnace for the treatment of gases illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the coil 19 for forming the .magnetic field and connected by the conductors 20' with a source of current is arranged in the cooling vessel 4. In the outer-annular electrode 5 formed by a cylindrical casing, which for facilitating the ignition'and forming the path for the stream of flame is provided at the required height with a projection 21, the inner electrode '6, which is likewise cylindrical, is inserted from above. made of insulating material se arates the two electrodes from each other. 11. order to 111- sure as effective cooling of the inner electrode as possible a tube 23 is inserted in the hollow'spacethere-in. This tube is open at the bottom and'sopromotes the circulation of the co( li1 1g fluid. The introduction and A- sleeve 22 v In this way the electrodes parts of the apparatus are distribution of the mixture of gases and the carrying ofl thereof are efiected in a similar inanner-as-in the form shownm' Fig. 1. Underthis-fmodification' the conductors 10 and 11ers in the fcrm of wires instead of being pipes, as in Fig. l. The electrodes may be supplied with either continuous or alternating current.

If the two conductors and 11 are connected with a source of continuous current,

. the flame orarc produced will have a circular cuit is closed short period retu rn to its startin yislhle, to the eye of 1. same and in the same magnetic field is deon the intensity of the current in the The flame may thus in any desired (for example 1/1000 second) point. This is not only the spectator, but may pendent flame.

"be regarded practically as if it constantly filled u "electro es through w flame, precisely the circular s ace between the two liich the mixture of gases to be treated asses. v

In consequence o the rotation of the path of the flame in the ma netic field an electromotive force is induce therein, which is con-' trary to that of the source of eurrentand thus restricts the current intensity in the as in electric motors. In the flatter as is well known, the counter-electromotive force induced in these windings in "consequence m the magnetic field prevents unl mited mof the rotation of the armature crease in the intensity of the current; that is, prevents short-circuiting. As when the apparatus is started the flame remains continuously in the same proportions, alternation in the current, which would cause flickering in the generator do not occur and consequently by the parallel circuiting of several apparatus it is possible to fully charge the generator. The rapid rotation of the flame causes all parts of the mixture of gases passingthrough the apparatus to come into contact therewith and consequently the percenta e of nitric oxide in the product coming i rom the..appa ratus is exceedingly large. If continuous current be employed, the gas flame for facilitating the formation of the electric flame may be replaced b a carbon filament connecting the two eliactrodes which burns away as the flame is formed and can be easily renewed before the apparatus is started again.

W hen alternating current is employed the direction in which the flame arc c1rculates 1s altered, euery time the current curve passes through the zero hne, unless the magnetic field be also produced by the same alternating current; the other conditions are similar as with continuous current. The coil 19 that produces the magnetic field could also be connected in series with the electrodes of the apparatus and in this case if alternating current be'employed act also as a choking coil.

The ignition can be effected, whether with continuous current or alternating current working, by means of a source of electric energy which produces alternating current of high potential and high frequency.

For cooling purposes oil is generally used. In apparatus requiring a large amount of energy water may also be used, vhich can for example, be easily effected with two apparatus connected in series, as in that case one electrode of each apparatus can be connected with earth.

Instead of each of the two starting points of the currentpath of the flame describing a circle when the circular space is passed through'by the flame, the point from which the path starts from the electrodes may be situated on any two curves one of which is arranged inside the other and which may be equidistant or not. It is not necessary that the electrodes be arranged in the same plane, as they might be arranged in dillerent planes parallel to each other whereby the e ectric flame will in its rotation describe a cylinder or a cone frustum.

In'all these modifications each of the two starting points of the current path of the flame, in passin through the circular space describes, what is to be regarded as essential, a continuous curve through the path of the current.

The cross-section of the circular space between the two electrodes can always e made small enough for corresponding energy, 1

order to insure a forward movement of the gases, or to insure the direct drawing 0.? of the gases treated, without coming into the flame a second time. i

It will be seen from the above that, under both forms in which I have represented my invention in its preferred embodiment, the same comprises an electric furnace for the treatment of gases in hich an annular electrode, 5, and an electrode 7, terminating within arcing distance of the annular electrode, are so arranged that the gases flow.

through said annular electrode and in the direction in whichthe' free end of the latter electrode faces. lhe lower end of the electrode 7 which is referably'arranged concentrically within t ean'nular-electr'ode, 5, as

shown, is also shown as ha its lower circumferential edge within arcing distance of the annular electrode 5 and in a plane transverse to the flow of the uses, and, moreover.

the inlet and outlet for t e gases to be treated are arranged at opposite ends of the furnace chamber and so that the above direction of flowtakes place. This arrangement makes it possible to maintain a rotating are at the terminal point of the inner electrode, when said are is subjected to theaction of the an;

of gases, the combination With a furnace chamber, and means for supplying u'ntreated gases to and removing treated gases from said furnace chamber, whereby there is caused a flow of gas through said chamber, of an annular electrode through which the gases flow, another electrode terminating of gases, the combination, with a pair of separated circular concentric electrodes, ar-

ranged to form a circular arcing space, of

means for producing a magnetic fieldwhose. flux cuts said arcing s ace, means for causing a flow of the gases'to niting gas to said space. I

6. In an electric furnace for the'treatment of gases, the combination, with a furnace chamber, of a pair of electrodes within said furnace chamber, one of said electrodes being.

annular, the other electrode terminating with a-free end which is within arcing distance of the annular electrode, electro magnetic means for'rotatin' causing the gases in the furnace chamber to fiow'in the direction in which the free end of the inner electrode faces.

e treated through said 70 'arcing space, and means for supplying an igthe arc, and means' for 8 0 I tance of the annular electrode,

of gases, the.combination-with a furnace chamber,

1 means for causing an angular movement of "chamber, and means for causing a flow of I trode through whichthe gases pass, an electrode having a plate like terminal which is 7. In an electric furnace forthe treatment of gases, the combination of afurnace chamher having a gas supply atone end anda gas outlet at the op osite end, an annular electrode'through w 'ch the gases flow between the said supply and the said outlet, aninner electrode arranged concentric with the an- 9 nular electrode and terminating in a-free end facing the gas outlet and within arcing dis; tance of the annular electrode, and means for I causing the are formed between theelectrodes to travel annularly. r a

8.v In an electric furnace for the treatment, of gases, the combination of a furnace cha ns;- ber having a closed lower end with a gas out-" let therein, gas-supplying means at the upper end of the furnace, an annular electrode con- & stitu'tinga' portion of the wall of the turn ce chamber, an inner electrode inserted through 1 the su port for theannular electrode and arranged concentrically therewith, means- :for rotating the are formed between the two 1 electrodes, and a distributer arranged between the gas-sup lying means andthe space between the two e ectrodes. V

9. In a furnace for treatin gases, the combination of a furnace cham er, an annular electrode in said chamber, means for causing an axial flow of gases through said electrode, an inner hollow electrode concentric with the annular electrode, means for rotating the arc form'ed between. the electrodes, and means for sup lying'a coolingagentto the interior of the fiollow electrode and around the annular electrode.

10. In a furnace for treating gases, the combination of a furnace chamber, an annular electrode set in the wall of said chamber, means for supplying untreated gases to the chamber above the annular electrode, means-for drawing off the treated gases below the said electrode whereby the gases are 12-7.- caused to flow axially through the e ectrode, an inner electrode concentric with the annular electrode and within arcingdistancc of with a free end which is within arcing dissaid free end facing in the direction toward which the gases flow, and means-for causing an angular movement of; the arc. Q

2. In an electric furnace for the treatment chamber, and means for causing a flow of gases in a predetermined direction in said of a substantially annular electrode 'throughwhich the gases flow, said annular electrode having an inward-projecting edge lying in a plane transverse to the flow of gases, a second electrode, having a circumfercntial edge lying in a plane transverseto the flow of gases, every part of salad circumferen tial edge being within arcing istance of the nearest .portio'ifiof the edge of the annular elect'rode,i and means for causing an angular movement of the arc.

3. In an electric furnace for treating gases, the combination with afurnace chamber, and means forcausing a flow of gases in a' redetermined direction within said cham er, of a substantially annular electrode through which the gases flow, a second electrode having 'a circumferential edge lying in a plane transverse to the flow of ases every part of said circumferential edge eing within arcing distance of the nearest portion of the annular electrode, means for starting thearc in the plane of the said circumferential edge, and

the arc.

4, In an electricfurnace for the treatment of gases, the combination with" a furnace gases 1n said chamber, of an annular elecconcentric with and within arcing distance of the annular electrode, and'lneans for impa-rting an angular movement to the arc formed between the said electrodes.

" 5. In anelectric furnace for the treatment the same, conductors supplying current, to the electrodes whereby an are is formed transverse to the llew of the gases, said eunducters also su )plying igniting gas to l-he are, and means or retating the are.

11. .ln a furnace for treating the combination of a furnace chmnber, an annular electrode in the wall of said chamber, an inner electrode concentric with and Within sparking distance of the annular electrode, means for cstahlishing an axial flow of gases through the annular electrode, means for forming and nmintaining'an are between the aelectredes, a receptacle for cooling hquul lug coil in said receptacle. l

In testimony whereof I, all): my signature in this specification, in the presence of twd witnesses.

surrounding the furnace chamher, end a c00l- 13 

